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How Ardgowan Is Building Its Future Single Malt: 'The World Hasn't Tasted It Yet' (Interview)

Interviews
by Monkey
Monday, 08 June 2026 at 09:59
Ardgowan Distillery Laura Davies
Building a new whisky distillery from the ground up is a rare opportunity. Shaping its character, defining its future and creating a spirit that may not be fully appreciated for years requires patience, vision and a deep understanding of the craft. That challenge is exactly what attracted Laura Davies, distillery manager at Ardgowan Distillery.
In this interview, we talk to her about her career, the excitement of building Ardgowan’s future Single Malt, the importance of maturation and why some of the most important decisions in whisky are made long before the first bottle reaches consumers.

If you had to describe yourself in 5 words, without mentioning whisky, which words would you choose?

Precise, patient, curious, collaborative and warm. They probably sum up my approach to work. Patience especially feels important in this industry; you're always waiting for something!

What would the team say?

I'd like to think they'd agree with my choice of words. We’re a very collaborative team that thrive off of the challenges that whisky production can throw at you. We’re definitely good problem solvers and are fully committed to creating the best Single Malt possible.

Can you describe the first moment you truly fell in love with whisky, the moment it really clicked for you?

It was during my time at The Welsh Whisky Company, working under Dr Jim Swan. There was a moment nosing a whisky where I suddenly understood what I was smelling in a way I hadn't before. The many layers to it. The way time and wood and spirit were in conversation with each other. It was less technical and more a matter of instinct. That’s the moment I can say I truly saw a future in the whisky industry.

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Can you describe a defining moment in your career that really shaped who you are today as a distiller?

Working with Dr Jim Swan shaped a lot for me. He had this rare ability, technical knowhow and genuine creativity that really does rub off on those around him. There's a distinct confidence that comes from being trusted by someone of that calibre, trusted to try things, ask questions, make mistakes and learn from them. That's the approach I've tried to carry with me now at Ardgowan. I want the team I work with now to feel that same sense of possibility.

Having worked in both Welsh and Scottish whisky, what differences surprised you the most, culturally or creatively?

Welsh whisky is young and full of pioneering energy, and I loved being part of that emerging scene. Scotland, by contrast, has a depth of tradition and expectation that shapes everything you do.
The fundamentals of whisky making don’t change, but the environment does. Climate, water character, and seasonal variation all influence how a spirit matures, and you really notice that shift when you move north. What excites me now is being part of a new distillery that honours tradition while embracing sustainability from the ground up. It lets me bring the curiosity and innovation I developed in Wales into a setting where heritage matters, but so does building a more responsible future for whisky.
Ardgowan Distillery aerial shot

You’ve worked with established whisky names before: what experiences or lessons have you brought with you to Ardgowan Distillery?

An understanding that the decisions you make early on are the ones that matter most. Cask selection, new make character and maturation environment are all foundational. At Penderyn I learned to work years in long timescales, making choices for a whisky that wouldn't be ready for years, and to trust the process rather than rush it. I've brought that same mindset here. Ardgowan's distillate is going to mature for a number of years before the world gets to experience it for the first time.

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What do you enjoy most about working at a relatively young distillery like Ardgowan?

The sense that what we do now genuinely counts. At an older, more established distillery, you're often working within a very defined house style, which has real value, but you're also constrained in the impact you can have. Here, we're making every decision to define the future Ardgowan Single Malt. It's a big responsibility, but very exciting to be a part of.

What were the biggest challenges when you first joined Ardgowan?

Starting up a new distillery is never straightforward, and there's a particular kind of pressure that comes with being a small, independent operation where everyone is wearing several hats. In the early stages, the challenge was simply making sure the foundations were right.

What, in your opinion, makes Ardgowan stand out in the Scottish whisky landscape today?

The location is genuinely distinctive; in fact, we’re the first new distillery to open in Inverclyde for over a century. We're on the Ardgowan Estate near Inverkip, which is steeped in history linked to Scottish royalty including Robert the Bruce. Our position, close to the water, with the Gulf Stream influence, brings a unique character to our maturation environment.
The distillery itself is something to behold, built with sustainability at its core and designed with real thought and beauty. And then there's the Infinity Cask, which I think tells you something important about the way we think. Investing in an entirely new cask design, in partnership with a prestigious Sherry bodega, years before a drop of our own spirit was produced: that's a level of long-term commitment and ambition that I find genuinely rare. We're a small team, but we're ambitious.

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Can you tell us a bit about the maturation strategy and the cask choices you’re making?

Maturation is where so much of the character and complexity of a whisky is determined, and we've approached it with a great deal of thought. The Infinity Cask is central to our long-term strategy. It's a bespoke cask design developed in partnership with José y Miguel Martín in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and those casks were already ageing in coastal warehouses in Spain years before we distilled our first spirit here in Scotland. That kind of headstart is almost unheard of, and it speaks to how seriously we’re taking this.

Ardgowan’s first casks have now been maturing for roughly a year. What are your impressions so far and has anything surprised you already?

It's still very early days, of course, and you have to resist the temptation to read too much into a young spirit. But I'll admit I've been encouraged by what I'm seeing and tasting. The new make we laid down has real character to it, with a fruity, estery quality that our still design was intended to produce, with the wash still's declining lye pipe drawing out those richer notes.
Ardgowan Distillery outside

Looking further ahead, is there something you’re currently working on that not many people know about yet, but that you’re personally very excited about?

There are always things quietly in development that I'd love to talk about but probably shouldn't just yet. What I can say is that we're thinking very carefully about our future Single Malt. In the meantime, we’re releasing some very exciting Clydebuilt whiskies sourced from all over Scotland and matured by us.
Favourite whisky: A Glenfarclas, or Bowmore...or Compass Box. I probably couldn't pick just one favourite!
Number of drams per week: 1 or 2...although it might have been a few more during the commissioning phase.
Favourite bottle in your collection: The first Clydebuilt Distillery Exclusive under my name... such lovely memories with each dram - arriving in Scotland, my first days at Ardgowan, our first mash, our Open Day.
Whisky country to watch: I'd have to say, Wales, of course!.
Least favourite whisky: One with ice.
ScotlandSingle Malt WhiskyArdgowan DistilleryScottish Whisky
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